Seattle Seahawks One in Five Shot of Not Being Lynched by Their Own Tracheas

by John Morgan on Nov 19, 2009 2:54 PM PST Comment 41 comments

Makes me want to swig ipecac so I may vomit all over my laptop.

This is the part of the week when Brian Burke releases his objective projections and I muddy everything with opinions. Burke projects Seattle as pronounced underdogs. I am aghast to read this. Seattle is a juggernaut just finding its oars. It's a wakened monster about to rain Justin Forsett all over the Metrodome. Oh bow before us Land of a 10,000 Mosquito Ponds!

The Seahawks have one chance of not being defenestrated from the top floor of Capella tower.

Brett Favre.

If the Seahawks can somehow stop Adrian Peterson - scoff if you will, Peterson is the type of boom or bust back that Seattle has been able to shut down - it needs only Favre to provide some Favre magic for Seattle to upset. Favre is primarily a play action quarterback now, and without the run game chugging, he can be exposed.

I would have a little more confidence if someone named Colin Cole was not matching across someone named Steve Hutchinson. Perhaps, if nothing else, this is the game that dooms Cole to the bench. Or maybe Hutch will do us a solid and drive block Cole back to Green Bay. The Packers could use a nose tackle. Cole is awfully heavy.

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Yup. Vikes -2.8% rushing offense DVOA.

And that’s actually propped up a bit by the big runs.

Ah well, there’s always draft position. Not to root for, but to be consoled by.

by jacobstevens on Nov 19, 2009 3:05 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

No lose in my opinion

Seattle should lose. If it doesn’t: Hooray!

by John Morgan on Nov 19, 2009 3:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Amazingly

The difference between Peterson and Taylor in DVOA is the biggest in the NFL. Taylor is ranked dead last in the NFL (among all backs, not just qualifiers) by more than 10% with a -49.1% DVOA and Peterson is ranked 9th with an 11.3% DVOA. So, be afraid when Peterson is in, otherwise laugh at them.

by Brendan Scolari on Nov 19, 2009 3:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't care what others think

When the team is realistically removed from contention, rooting for draft position is the new way of rooting for the Seahawks. Same thing for the Mariners or any other team. For those that follow the Mariners, remember last year when they were 1.5 games up in the Strasburg sweepstakes and then decided to blow it by sweeping Oakland? Man, weren’t those 3 wins against Oakland awesome? We’ll always have those memories…

The nice thing about rooting for draft position is that its a win-win. If the Seahawks “lose” by winning, then you got to watch the team play a good game and had fun, and in some situations, the team might discover something useful that can be used to build off in future seasons. (Hasselbeck’s awakening in the 2nd half of 2002 for example). And if the team “wins” by losing, it doesn’t sting because you were hoping for it.

What I want from the Seahawks the rest of the way is to play well but not get lucky with any cheap wins. They don’t need to finish 3-13. 5-11 or 6-10 is just fine. But please don’t get hot NOW and finish a meaningless 8-8 with a team that is still in the early stages of a massive transition. That would bother me. If the Seahawks had a young franchise QB learning the ropes that would be one thing, but the Seahawks are in the twilight of the Hasselbeck era and don’t have a team that is very close at all to being a serious Superbowl contender. Heck, they don’t even have a real successor to Hasselbeck chosen yet.

by kearly on Nov 19, 2009 4:36 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Somehow, it's easier in baseball

it’s fine. No worries if you root for draft position. Steven Strasburg was kind of a special case, I thought. I was irked by that. You have to have that kind of solidified context, though. Unless you’re 1st, or 2nd when there’s a clear top prospect, you don’t even know what will be available.

by jacobstevens on Nov 19, 2009 6:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Strasburg was indeed a special case

Suh is this draft’s “Strasburg.”

Not that the Seahawks will likely have a shot at him even if they lose out, so its a bit different. However, the difference between picking 7th and 11th could easily be the difference between getting Bradford or not.

by kearly on Nov 19, 2009 9:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

One difference with baseball

The draft order is FAR less important. I don’t have it handy, but LL linked a chart earlier this year that showed the success rate of each pick over history. There is a massive drop-off from the 1st pick to the 2nd, and the 2nd to the 3rd, and after the 3rd pick, there is almost no difference from picks 4-30. Rooting for draft position only really makes sense in baseball if you have a shot at the top 3 picks.

In the NFL, the first drop-off in talent tends to be in the early teens. Then there is usually a second drop off in the 20’s. Not only are the talent intervals much wider, but NFL drafted players are much likelier to have substantial NFL careers than MLB draft picks who go to a minor league system. NFL draft picks also have near immediate impact which is something that almost never happens in baseball.

So actually, I feel the opposite about rooting for draft position. In the MLB, I don’t care at all unless its for a Strasburg sweepstakes type situation, whereas in the NFL picking a few spots earlier each round could end up being a big deal.

by kearly on Nov 19, 2009 9:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

you type so many words

I’ll assume they make sense and are smart. I’m really tired so I’ll say I agree with you.
It’s one of the Reasons, I think Ruskell deserves a little more chance to succeed if we’re debating a change and that change isn’t significant upgrade of draft skill Ruskell has done more drafting at the bottom of the drafts than Holmgren or any Seahawks GM in general did drafting near the top of them. I want to see if his ability to scout talent expands to top picks. He hit with Curry and Unger and I think it’ll be interesting if he’s got a chance to try again at some skill positions. like T QB G he seems to know who those mister consistency players are in round two, if you look at his round two picks they are really awesome

by Krazyleggs on Nov 19, 2009 9:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm probably the only one here that thinks this

that hasn’t been banned, but I hated the Curry pick with every fiber of my being. I won’t get into that, but I agree that Ruskell has had a handicap because he has drafted lower and that adds up over the years.

by kearly on Nov 19, 2009 10:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Doesn't Cole play on the right side of the center? (From the offense's point of view)

I thought that’s where 1-techs usually played…

by Brendan Scolari on Nov 19, 2009 3:10 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

No and no.

by John Morgan on Nov 19, 2009 3:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Why is that then?

Wouldn’t it make more sense to have your nose guard on the strong side of the formation, since that’s where runs (theoretically) usually go?

by Brendan Scolari on Nov 19, 2009 10:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Frees the edge rusher

Theoretically, if Cole wasn’t a bag of suck.

by John Morgan on Nov 20, 2009 3:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Cole plays on the one giant side at the suck position

Fire Bruce DeHaven.

by SSreporters on Nov 19, 2009 4:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This was my impression, as well

so I’d like to hear an elaboration. I know they move around somewhat, but I thought that was the traditional and more frequent alignment. But even with this year and my team, I’m not certain, so I’ll defer to John and wait for the elaboration.

by jacobstevens on Nov 20, 2009 11:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The nice thing about this game is that there is no pressure going in.

If we get a loss, meh. If we get a win, HOLY SHIT AWESOME! This is why rooting for substandard teams is possible. A win against all odds is sweet indeed.

by redwolf75 on Nov 19, 2009 3:18 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'm rooting for one thing

Aaron Curry + blindside + Brett Favre

by Hancock.Brett on Nov 19, 2009 3:28 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

what does the movie about Michael Oher have anything to do with this?

The demise of the Broncos in '09 is our future. Pray hard.

by Nick Andron on Nov 19, 2009 4:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Nothing... but,

You have to admit going to a movie with Brett Favre and Aaron Curry would be pretty cool. I’d root for that too!

by kearly on Nov 19, 2009 4:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It wasn't long ago that Favre met the Seahawks

Jets v Seahawks.

December 2008.

Josh Wilson intercepting Favre, returing the pick for a touchdown, and then jumping into a snow drift and gleefully throwing snow up int he air was probably the high point of an otherwise very grim year.

There won’t be any snow. But Favre is the league all-time interception leader but is currently the starting QB with the fewest picks this year. It’s time for our friend to regress to the mean.

by Keasley on Nov 19, 2009 3:40 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Wilson never picked Favre off for a TD

That was just him running and throwing snow in the air.

Wilson’s first ever pick 6 was against JT O’Sullivan. We won 13-3 on the Carlson TD.

I want Bradley to blitz the heck out of Favre. Sidney Rice will torch us as long as Favre is given eons to throw.

Fire Bruce DeHaven.

by SSreporters on Nov 19, 2009 4:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And he will be, because Hutch will likely use his right arm to block Cole

and the rest of his body on the DE.

The demise of the Broncos in '09 is our future. Pray hard.

by Nick Andron on Nov 19, 2009 4:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Bit of an exaggeration, don't you think?

I reckon thumb and/or pinkie will do the job just fine

by rex92 on Nov 20, 2009 2:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Kelly Jennings also got his only career INT off of Favre

In the snow and we won 34-24. Shaun ran for 201 yards.

Fire Bruce DeHaven.

by SSreporters on Nov 19, 2009 4:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

my god

1 career int. wow.

He’s never missed a game either!

by kearly on Nov 19, 2009 4:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And it was an absolute duck

Fire Bruce DeHaven.

by SSreporters on Nov 19, 2009 4:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That never happened.

LA LA LA I CAN’T HEAR YOU LA LA

by thebyron on Nov 20, 2009 8:24 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

by Salty on Nov 20, 2009 9:23 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Favre is primarily a play action QB?

I don’t get that. The running game hasn’t always worked and so far he’s stepped up.

by Salty on Nov 19, 2009 4:36 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

My observation, by no means fact, is that Favre is most valuable because of his arm strength and how it complements the Vikings rush attack.

by John Morgan on Nov 19, 2009 5:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wilson picked off Favre with 1:16 left in the 4th quarter and up by 10 points

and then ran into the snow pile.

So, yeah, he didn’t pick him off and score a td. But he picked him off to ice the game. He also sacked Favre in the 4th quarter and had a pick earlier in the game. Josh Wilson pwned Brett Favre.

by Keasley on Nov 19, 2009 5:15 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Anyone watch the Sound FX thing on Brett Favre on NFL.com?

He made Matt Stafford JIZZ IN HIS PANTS. Here’s the link.

I heard the Matt one against the Lions was pretty funny, but they don’t have it up on NFL, bummer.

by DJ C-Raig on Nov 19, 2009 6:43 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

All I got from that video is

Favre likes touching bums and tackles illegally.

by GarethLewin on Nov 20, 2009 4:45 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh yeah and

Favre lets his receivers “make a play” while throwing into coverage.

I can’t wait until Peyton breaks every record (except INTs) that Favre holds.

by GarethLewin on Nov 20, 2009 4:46 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Illegal tackles?

by Salty on Nov 20, 2009 6:31 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Help our LT in this game. For the love of God.

Otherwise, Matt is going down in a whirlwind of Mullet.

by Misfit74 on Nov 19, 2009 8:50 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

That made me laugh out loud

But Jared Allen is a cool cat. Even though he’ll be tearing up our O-line and slapping Matt around like a redheaded stepchild, I find it impossible to root against the guy. He looks like he just has serious fun playing football.

by Buster! on Nov 20, 2009 1:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I can't even bring myself to watch

this weeks game. I will dvr it, and if they embarrass themselves, as I believe they will, I’ll watch the recording. It is suffering through seasons like these that remind one what is important in life. Other things that you could be doing besides watching your favorite team stink up whatever field they happen to be playing at that day. This coming Sunday is going to be a blowout of monumental proportions. Being as kind as possible in my prediction;

49 – 3, Vikings.

by mrcoffee1969 on Nov 20, 2009 10:23 AM PST reply actions 0 recs